Cygnet To Swan
by OnceUponAWriter88
Summary: Stories from Emma's childhood in the foster system and her journey to find her parents and a place to call home. Warning: Rating will go up in later chapters.
1. Prequel

**Prequel**

* * *

Ms. Candice slowly thumbed through the pages of her book. The words began to blur as her head drooped down against her shoulder. Her eyelids closed as she started to doze off.

She was awaken, suddenly, by a small cry. She sat up, startled. Once she realized where, or rather, who, the cries were coming from she sighed, slumping back into her chair for a moment before pushing herself to her feet. She tiredly trudged over to the next room. The door creaked as she opened it and stepped inside.

The room contained several cribs, all of which held peacefully sleeping infants; all except one. One crib held a very much awake little girl. Her small hands were gripping the bars holding herself up as she shook with discomfort. Her blonde curls bounced as she moved and small cries erupted from her trembling lips. Her cheeks were rosy and her green eyes were swimming with unshed tears.

"I'm coming. I'm coming." whispered Candice as she hurriedly made her way over to the unhappy child. She gently lifted the girl up, placing her on her hip, and carried her over to the corner of the room. She sat down on an old rocking chair, balancing the infant on her lap.

"Hush baby." She said as they rocked back and forth in the chair. Her cries softened to dull whimpers as she continued to stir in Candice's lap. Candice attempted to soothe the small girl, rubbing soft circles on her back and murmuring words of comfort. When this failed to calm the child, she decided to try another tactic. She leaned over and switched on the small, tableside, lamp.

"I have an idea." She stated, "How about we read a story?" The girl's whimpers seized as she looked up at the woman with bright eyes at the mention of a story. The woman let out a soft chuckle as she reached down to pick out a book. "Oh, look." she cooed. "It's your favorite." A small smile spread across the infant's face when she saw the familiar cover. Candice settled down further into the chair, cuddling the child close as she opened the book.

"Snow White and the Seven Dwarves." She began. "Once upon a time…"

By the time Prince Charming had awoken Snow White the infant was already snoozing in Candice's lap. The woman set the book down quietly and carefully lifted the sleeping girl up, carrying her over to her crib. She set her down gently and tucked her in with her baby blanket. She then leaned down and placed a feather-like kiss against the child's forehead.

"Sweet dreams, Emma."

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Please leave a review and tell me what you think. Also, let me know if you have any ideas you would like me to add to the story.


	2. Chapter 1: The Swans

**Chapter 1: The Swans**

* * *

"Well, Mr. and Mrs. Swan, are you ready to meet your new daughter?" The young couple exchanged eager smiles and nodded.

"Come on in." the man called. Ms. Candice entered the room holding Emma's small hand. With her other hand she clutched a small, white blanket against her chest.

"Hi there." The woman greeted as she grinned widely at her new child. Emma ducked away shyly, hiding her face in Ms. Candice's dress.

"Aww" Mr. Swan chuckled lightly.

"Sorry, she a little shy." Ms. Candice stated.

"Well, that's alright." Ms. Swan replied crouching down to Emma's level. "She'll warm up to us; won't you little one?" Emma dodged behind Ms. Candice's legs, her hands gripping at the woman's dress.

"Here, look at what we brought for you." Ms. Swan held out a small doll. Emma peered curiously from behind Candice's legs.

"Go on." She said smiling down at the child. Emma looked up as Ms. Candice gently stroked her blonde curls. "It's okay." She reassured the child. Emma tentatively took a step towards the strange woman. She reached her an arm out and took the doll. The new parents smiled lovingly at the child as she carefully inspected her new toy.

"Isn't she beautiful, Darren?" she asked her husband.

"She's perfect."

* * *

After a long day of work, Darren Swan was happy to return home to his loving family. "I'm home!" he called cheerfully as he hung his coat. He smiled towards his wife who was by the sink washing dishes. He expected her to come greet him, as she usually did, but instead she turned away.

"Daddy!" He looked to see Emma running towards him with open arms. He scooped her up and placed a kiss against her small cheek.

"How's my girl been?" He asked bouncing her on his hip.

"Good. I colored a picture for you. You wanna see it?"

"I'd love t-

"Not right now, Emma." His wife interrupted. "Mommy and Daddy need to talk. Why don't you go play in your room?"

"Aw… okay." She complied.

Ms. Swan leaned against the kitchen counter, drying her hands off with a towel as she faced her husband. "What is it?" he asked concerned. She breathed a heavy sigh, still unsure of how to tell him.

"I'm pregnant." She stated bluntly. He looked at her, baffled.

"What? You can't be. I thought that-"

"Yeah, well so did I." For a moment, neither one said anything.

"So what does this mean?" he questioned, breaking the silence.

"It means… it means we have to give her back." Her husband stood speechless for a moment.

"What? You mean Emma? No, no that's not happening. She's our child now, Lizzie. We can't give her back."

"We can't afford two kids, Darren."

"We'll figure something out. I'll get another job."

"You've already been trying to find better work just to make ends meet now."

"Well there's got to be something we can do!"

"There's nothing we can do except take Emma back. It's what's best."

"Best? For who? For us? Well what about what's best for Emma?!"

"I'm trying to do what's best for the baby!" She yelled gesturing towards her stomach.

"Emma's our baby too. We adopted her. She's our child."

"She's not our real child. She'll get adopted again by some other couple. This." She said placing her hand against her stomach. "This is our _real_ child and we need to do what's best for it."

Darren shook his head in disbelief and stormed away.

* * *

 _Emma's POV_

Something's wrong with Mommy and Daddy. Daddy is acting really sad. At breakfast, when I blew bubbles in my chocolate milk, he didn't laugh like he always does. Mommy is acting funny too; she put some of my clothes and my favorite toys in a suitcase and when I took them back out, she got mad and told me to go in the living room and watch tv.

 _The Flintstones_ are on now. I laugh because Barney is silly. Mommy and Daddy are in the kitchen talking to Ms. Cathy. Ms. Cathy is a really nice lady. She comes to visit sometimes and we talk and play games. She always asks me a lot of questions. Like if Mommy and Daddy are nice to me, and what happens when I get in trouble, and if I get plenty of food to eat. She's kind of nosy, but it's okay I don't mind answering questions, as long as she keeps letting me choose what game we play. We didn't play any games today though; she didn't even want to ask me questions. Instead, she just said hi and then went to go talk with Mommy and Daddy.

I hear somebody come into the room. It's Daddy. "Whatcha watching munchkin?" he asks.

"Flintstones." I answer.

"Do you want to come upstairs and help me with something?"

"Sure." I get up and take his hand and we walk upstairs together. We go into my room where Mommy has the suitcase and lots of my other stuff laying on the bed. Daddy grabs the suitcase and then rummages through the other stuff, shoving a couple of things into the suitcase. "What are you doing with my stuff? Why's it all in a suitcase?" Daddy sighs and looks down at something in his hands. It's my doll. He stares at her for a while and then he kneels down in front of me. He hands me my doll and I smile and hug her tight against my chest. I look at Daddy. He's smiling at me but he doesn't look happy."What's wrong, Daddy?"

"Emma… there's… there's something I need to tell you. I don't know if you'll understand...—"

"What is it, Daddy?"

"I'm not your Daddy." I laugh.

"Course you're my Daddy, silly"

"No, I'm not. And Mommy isn't really your Mommy either." I frown now because Daddy is talking in his serious voice, which means he's not just being silly, but what he's saying is silly.

"What are you talking 'bout?"

"You-"

"Darren!" Mommy interrupts. "Come on, it's time." I look at Daddy, confused; time for what? And what are they doing with all my stuff? And why did Daddy say he wasn't my Daddy and that Mommy wasn't my Mommy? Nothing is making any sense and I want to ask someone but I can't because everything starts happening so fast. Daddy grabs me and the suitcase and we go downstairs. Then he takes me outside where Mommy and Ms. Cathy are standing by Ms. Cathy's car. Daddy puts my suitcase in her car.

"Hey!" I yell. "That's my stuff. She can't have it."

"It's okay." Ms. Cathy says. She leans down and puts her hand under my chin, stroking my cheek with her thumb. "You're going to come with me."

"What? No, I don't want to go with you. I want to stay here with Mommy and Daddy." Ms. Cathy turns to look at Daddy.

"Did you explain to her?" He shakes his head.

"No…not really…I just…I couldn't…." She turns back to look at me.

"Emma, honey, you're going to come with me now, and I'm going to take you to a really nice place to stay for a while until we find you a new Mommy and Daddy, ok?"

"No! No, I don't want a new Mommy and Daddy!" I start to cry. I don't understand what's happening. I turn to look at Mommy. She comes and kneels down by me.

"I know it's hard for you to understand right now, but it will be okay I promise."

"Why don't you want to be my Mommy anymore? Why are you making me leave?"

"I'm sorry. We can't keep you anymore." She gets up and walks over by Daddy. I try to follow but Ms. Cathy picks me up and takes me to her car. I kick and scream as she forces me into a car seat.

"No!" I cry. "I don't want to go. No!" Daddy comes over and I think he's going to help me but instead he holds me down while Ms. Cathy buckles me in. "No, Daddy. Don't let her take me. I'll be a good girl. I promise. Please don't let her take me Daddy!" He puts his hand on his cheek and I look up at him. I see little droplets of water running down his cheek. He leans down and kisses my forehead.

"I'm so sorry, Emma." He shuts the door and walks away. I call after him but he doesn't even turn around to look at me. I try to find Mommy but I don't see her anywhere. Ms. Cathy gets in the car and I watch my home get smaller and smaller as we drive away.

* * *

 **Thank you to all who followed and favorited this story. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please leave a review I would love to hear feedback :).**


	3. Chapter 2: Margie

**Chapter 2: Margie**

* * *

Margie rolled onto her stomach, pressing her pillow against her head to try and block out the cries of the new kid. They had dropped her off this afternoon and she had been screaming and crying ever since. It wasn't anything new; any new kid that came would cry for the first night at least, some for days. It's not like anyone could blame them. The other kids knew what it was like; they had gone through the exact same thing when they were first brought here. They remembered how they felt; upset, confused, just wanting to go back home to their parents, not knowing what happened to them.

All of the other kids were fast asleep in their beds, having been through this numerous times they were able to block out the noise, Margie, however was cursed with being a light sleeper. She sighed, pressing her pillow against her head as hard as she could as the cries grew louder.

Ms. Candice had been trying to calm Emma for hours. She sat on the bed with her, the child in her lap clinging to her nightdress, her head buried in her chest as she cried. Ms. Candice gently rocked her back and forth while she rubbed small circles on her back.

"I know you're upset, baby, but you need to get some sleep."

"No!" she protested. "I don't wanna sleep here. I wanna go home and sleep in my bed."

"I told you, sweetie, you can't go home. You don't live there anymore." This statement only set the child off into another fit of cries. Ms. Candice sighed, patting the little girl's back with one hand while she gently stroked through her long blonde curls with the other. "Shhh'" she whispered. Suddenly, a figure appeared at the door. Ms. Candice looked up to see a weary eyed Margie coming into the room.

"Hey." She yawned drowsily as she plopped down beside Ms. Candice.

"What are you doing up so late?"

"I can't sleep. _Somebody's_ crying is keeping me up."

"I've been trying to get her to sleep for half the night but nothing's working." They both looked to Emma who was looking back and forth between the two with watery, red eyes as she continued to whine.

"Here," Margie said, reaching her arms out towards Emma. "Let me try something."

Ms. Candice handed the small girl over to Margie who laid her across her lap, wrapping one arm around her shoulders. She then began to slowly rock Emma back and forth and hum quietly. Emma continued to wail in Margie's arms and her hums soon turned into a lullaby.

" _Whisper wishes to the starts above_

 _Blow yourself kisses till you feel loved_

 _Tuck yourself in and close your eyes_

 _Pray that they'll come back tonight_

 _I know you're scared but that's okay_

 _I know you will be loved someday_

 _So for right now just say goodnight_

 _And dream of a place far far away from here."  
_

Margie and Ms. Candice smiled down at the sleeping child.

"Nice job." Ms. Candice praised.

"It's no problem." She shrugged shifting Emma off of her lap and gently tucking her under the covers. The two ladies quietly got up and retreated back to their own beds to finally get some sleep themselves.

* * *

 _Margie's POV_

(Emma is 5, Margie is 17)

I rush into the grocery store dragging an indifferent Emma behind me. "You just had to wait till last minute to tell me you need to bring in a snack for school today!" I chastise her.

"Sorry." She shrugs. "I forgot." I scoff and roll my eyes. Great, now we're both going to be late and guess who they'll blame? That's right, me. I always have to take the blame for the little kids. I quickly grab a box of individually wrapped fruit snacks. I guess this will have to do. We get in line and I wait anxiously as the cashier rings us up. She is a young pregnant woman, glowing with an over flow of joy as she pats her enormous, round stomach. I notice Emma is staring at the woman strangely. I am about to get onto her about staring at people before she opens her mouth.

"Excuse me, ma'am?" she asks the cashier.

"Yes, sweetie?" she addresses Emma with large smile.

"Did you swallow a watermelon seed or sumin'?" Emma questions a serious expression on her face. The woman laughs kindly before answering.

"Oh, no sweetie, I assure you it's not a watermelon in my stomach, it's a baby."

"YOU ATE A BABY?!" Emma yells in shock. I can feel the eyes of everyone in the store on us. Its times like these I really want to crawl under a rock and hide.

"No I uh um..." the cashier lady stammers unsure how to answer. I grab our bag and throw the money on the counter in one swift movement already taking ahold of Emma's hand and dragging her out of the store before she decides to open her big mouth again.

"No, Margie!" she protests pulling back.

"That's the last time I take you anywhere!" I respond.

"But Margie." She whines "That woman ate a baby!"

"She didn't _eat_ a baby Emma." I sigh. Emma pulls out of my grasp, placing both hands on her hips in a very sassy expression.

"Well then how'd the baby get in her tummy?" she challenges.

"Oh no no." I shake my head. "I'm so _not_ having that conversation with you." Emma takes my refusal to answer as a win on her part.

"Uh huh, that's what I thought!" she exclaims smugly. I roll my eyes at her childish ignorance and grab her arm continuing to pull her as we walk the long trek to school.

I am able to get Emma to her class just before the tardy bell rings. I shout a quick goodbye and run to my class, praying I make it before Mr. Welling notices. I zig zag through the halls the notebooks and folders in my arms hitting against my chest with each step. I finally make it to the door of my homeroom and reach out to turn the knob when it opens suddenly. I collide with the door, the handle pushing against my stomach and knocking me down to the floor. The door continues to swing open until the unhappy and malicious figure of Mr. Welling is seen.

"Well, well, look at what we have here." He looks down at me sprawl across the floor of the hallway. His nose is scrunched and his eyebrows angle down as he stares at me, a look of utter disgust on his face. "Late again Miss Margery, that's the third time this month. I believe that means you'll be spending your weekend in detention." He retreats back into the classroom leaving me to collect myself. I push myself to my feet with a loud groan and begin to gather my things. I curse Emma under my breath for making me late as I walk into the classroom.

After school I walk back to Emma's classroom to pick her up so we can walk home together. The word "home" is used lightly in this case as the place we live hardly resembles the ideal home. It's actually a large foster home for girls. It's meant to be a place where foster girls stay in between foster families or while they wait for a family that has adopted them to pick them up. However, for Emma and me it's become a place we end back up at more frequently than the other girls. My parents died when I was 12 so I never really had a chance. Most foster parents prefer getting the younger, cuter kids so it was hard for me to get into a foster family, especially considering my bad track record. As for Emma, ever since her so-called "parents" un-adopted her she's been kind of a mess. Bedwetting, throwing temper tantrums, sobbing uncontrollably, and refusing to eat, just to name a few. She's been removed from five foster families in her short two years back in the system. They finally decided to put her in counseling to help her with her "problems". Her counselor suggested that she become involved in some sort of extra-curricular activity so she took up ballet. So far it seems to be helping, which is good because she's nearly six, and nobody's going to want a six-year-old who still wets the bed.

Emma emerges from the classroom. Her head is slouched down towards the ground as she shuffles over towards me. I look at her confused and the I see it; clutched in her right hand is a small, red, crumpled up piece of paper.

"What's that?" I question her. She sighs and hands over the slip. I take it from her and began to read over it.

Printed at the top in large bold letters are the words "DISCIPLINARY NOTICE". Underneath are the words written "I have been given the red slip today because I…". It is followed by three black line where the teacher has written the reason.

"Oh no"

* * *

 **Thank you so much to those who reviewed, followed, and favorited this story your support means so much :).**

 ***P.S if you have a Tumblr you should follow my blog of the same name (onceuponawriter88) ;) . I post ouat stuff, writing drabbles, and accept flashfic prompts. I would also be happy to ask any questions or take any suggestions for the story.**

 **Thank you all for reading.**


	4. Chapter 3: Margie part 2

**Chapter 3: Margie part 2**

* * *

 _Margie's POV_

Ms. Candice stands tapping her foot against the ground as she reads over the red slip pf paper for a third time.

"I just don't understand." She says. "All this from seeing a pregnant cashier?"

"Yup." I answer. Apparently after the little incident at the store Emma decided that if she couldn't get an answer out of me she'd just see what her friends at school thought. I can almost picture the shock on her teacher's face when she discovered that the group of five-year-olds were discussing where babies come from. And when asked who had brought up this question all little fingers pointed towards Emma. Thus resulting in the red slip.

"Well what am I supposed to do? She's much too young to have _the talk_.

"Hell if I know." I shrug. "Good luck with that though." I grin and walk away, retreating to my room to work on homework.

* * *

 _Emma's POV_

"Emma dear, could I have a word with you?" Ms. Candy calls. I cringe and walk into her office, preparing for a lecture.

"I'm really sorry Ms. Candy." I begin defending myself before she has a chance to start lecturing. "I didn't mean to get into trouble. I was just askin' a question. How was I 'possed to know it was an 'inappropriate' one?"

"It's alright Emma. You're not in trouble. Come, sit down." I sigh in relief and plop down in the big comfy chair. "If I'm not in any trouble, then what do you need to talk to me for?"

"Well… I thought that you might still want that question of yours answered." I smile. Finally somebody knows the answer. I watch Ms. Candy as she gets up and starts walking back and forth. I lean back in the chair and wait. Ms. Candy is my only friend. The other kids at school are okay but I never stay in a school long enough to keep a real friend. I've known Ms. Candy since as long as I can remember. Her real name is Ms. Candice but she lets me call her Ms. Candy cause we're friends. She's the nicest lady here. I keep waiting for her to answer my question but she keeps walking and looking down at the ground muttering to herself. I think maybe she forgot the answer. She comes and sits back down.

"Alright, so, um you see… when a man and a woman love each other very much they… well uh first they get married… and then… then when they are both good and ready they decide to… start a family…"

I nod. "But where does the baby come from?" I ask.

"Well the mommy and the daddy they…"

"Babies come from mommies and daddies?"

"Uh… yeah. Yes, yes they do."

"So then that means that I came from a mommy and a daddy!?" I ask excited.

"Why yes, of course."

"So I do have a mommy and a daddy!"

"Yes…"

"But when I came here they said that my mommy and daddy weren't really my mommy and daddy."

"That's because they weren't. Not your real ones at least. They just adopted you."

"But I thought that was how all parents got their babies. They 'dopt them."

"Ohh." Ms. Candy says. "Now I see. No sweetie, that's just how some parents get babies. But babies actually come from a mommy and daddy. Even the ones who are adopted. The parents that they come from are called their birth parents."

"Who are my birth parents?" I ask.

"I don't know baby."

"What happened to them?"

"No one knows."

"Did they get losted?"

"Maybe…"

"Then I have to find them!" I yell. I jump up and run out of the room. I hear Ms. Candy calling after me but I don't listen I just keep running faster and faster. I have a mommy and daddy and they're out there somewhere and I am going to find them.

* * *

 _Margie's POV_

I am almost finished with my homework when suddenly Emma bursts into the room. She's panting heavily like she's just run a marathon. She slams the door shut behind her and turns the lock.

"What are you doing?" I question.

"Hiding." She answers blatantly as she crawls under the desk.

"From who?"

"Ms. Candy."

"Well you can't hide in here! Get out."

"But you have to help me!" she argues.

"I'm not helping you do anything."

"I have parents!" she blurts out proudly.

"And?"

"And I have to find them!" she says. "They're losted and they need me to find them. You gotta help me Margie. You gotta help me find them!"

"Woah woah woah. Slow down. We're not finding anybody."

"But" she protests. "I have to find them."

"Listen kid. We don't even know who your parents are. Or anything about them. You're not going to find them. It's impossible."

"But I gotta at least try!" she yells determinedly. The door handle begins to shake followed by someone pounding on the door.

"Margie, is Emma in there with you?" Ms. Candice calls. I look towards Emma. She looks at me with wide pleading eyes.

"Yeah she's in here." I get up and unlock the door then let her in. Emma glares at me from under the desk, her mouth agape in a look of betrayal.

"Emma come out from under there." Ms. Candice says nicely. Emma groans but complies, crawling out from under the desk and standing back up to face Ms. Candice. "Now listen here. I know you want to find your parents but it's not that simple."

"I have to find them!" she exclaims.

"I understand why you feel that way. However, finding them would be a very difficult task especially for a little girl. Why don't we just keep focusing on hiding a nice foster family right now? And maybe, when you're older, we can discuss finding your birth parents, okay?"

"Okay." Emma agrees disappointedly.

"Good girl." Ms. Candice praises. "Now go on to the study room and work on your homework." Emma nods solemnly and sulks away.

"She's not going to listen, you know." I say as soon as Emma leaves the room.

"She'll be fine." Ms. Candice states. "Now you do the same and finish up your homework. I'll see you at supper."

I am in my Calculus class when the announcer goes off. "Would Margery Bates please report to the front office." A chorus off "oooh's" erupt from my classmates.

"She's on her way." My teacher replies. I shove my things into my backpack and sling it over my shoulder. I can feel everyone's eyes on me as I walk across the classroom and out the door. As I slowly make my way to the office, I replay everything bad I've done in the past month, desperately trying to figure out what I've done to be called up to the office this time. I hesitate at the door. Guess I'll just have to go in and find out. I open the door and step inside. I immediately spot Ms. Candice. Great, they called her up here. I can't think of what I've done but it must have been pretty bad if she's here. Normally they either call or just send a note home. I approach her cautiously anxious to figure out why I'm here.

"Oh Margie!" she exclaims. "Thank goodness you're here!" Her eyes are red and her cheeks are stained with tears.

"What's going on?" I asked, concerned.

"It's Emma, she's missing."

* * *

 **Thank you so much to those who reviewed, followed, and favorited this story your support means so much :).**

 **If you have any ideas for the story be sure to leave a review or PM me. I am also taking flashfic prompts if you have any ideas that wouldn't go along with this story.**

 ***P.S if you have a Tumblr you should follow my blog of the same name (onceuponawriter88) ;) . I post ouat stuff, writing drabbles, and accept flashfic prompts. I would also be happy to ask any questions or take any suggestions for the story.**

 **Thank you all for reading.**


	5. Chapter 4: Margie part 3

**Chapter 4: Margie part 3**

* * *

 _Emma's POV_

I sneak my backpack out with me to recess then I watch Ms. Kimberly closely from where I am hiding behind the slide. I watch as she sits down on the wooden bench and pulls her book out of her bag. She crosses her legs and sets her book down on her lap. She opens it and begins reading. I make my move. I walk calmly across the playground, glancing back at Ms. Kimberly as I approach the fence that's supposed to keep us contained. I double-check to make sure no one is watching and then I toss my backpack over the fence. It lands on the other side with a thud. I grasp the metal bars and begin climbing up. Once I reach the top, I swing one leg around. I look back once more and I see Ms. Kimberly in the same spot, still distracted by her book. The other kids are running around playing games, pushing each other on the swings, and hanging on the monkey bars. None of them even notice I'm gone. I guess sometimes being invisible can come in handy. I swing my other leg around and drop to the ground. Landing on my feet, I quickly swipe my backpack up and take off.

* * *

 _Margie's POV_

"Missing?! What do you mean, 'she's missing'?"

"Her teacher said that she didn't come back from recess. They searched the entire playground but she's nowhere to be found. She's run away!"

Before I have time to process this, a police officer comes into the room, dragging a sheepish looking Emma behind her.

"Oh Emma! Thank goodness you're okay!" Ms. Candice exclaims while running to Emma and wrapping Emma in a tight hug. "What on Earth were you thinking, young lady!?"

"I was trying to go find my parents." She answers simply.

"And just how exactly did you plan to do that!?"

"I don't know…" she answers. "I didn't get that far."

"She got about six or seven blocks down before I caught up to her." The policewoman tells us. "Runs pretty fast for a little thing."

"Thank you, officer." Mr. Wright, the Principal of the school steps into the room. The police officer nods and then turns to leave. "Now, if you all will please follow me to my office so that we can discuss the matter further."

"Regardless of whatever the reason is, you can't just leave school whenever you feel like it. That type of behavior is unacceptable and if it happens again, I assure you, there will be consequences to face."

"We understand, sir." Ms. Candice coincides. "Don't we, Emma?" Emma nods in agree

* * *

Emma and I have become pretty close during the years. Our similar troubles of finding a more permeant foster home have bonded us. And, with me being the oldest in the house and her being the youngest (excluding the infants) I am often stuck watching her. But, I don't hate it as I say. She's actually a pretty cool kid. Of course, she can be annoying sometimes, with her loud mouth and stubborn attitude, but she's the closest thing to a little sister I've ever had. And little sisters are supposed to be annoying, right? Nevertheless, I do care about her. And that was exactly what landed me in the middle of an argument with Ms. Candice later that day.

We both thought we knew what was best for Emma, but we both had very different ideas of what that was. The only thing we seemed to agree on was that Emma wasn't going to give up on finding her parents as easily as she wants us to believe.

"How about telling her the truth?" I suggest.

"What truth?"

"That her parents don't want her."

"You don't know that!" Ms. Candice counters.

"They left her on the side of the road!" I argue. She looks down at her hands for a moment, twirling her ring from her late husband around her finger as she thinks.

"No, she doesn't need to know that. Not now, she's too young."

"She's five-years-old. She's going to find out eventually. We might as well tell her now before she decides to run off again in search of them."

"If we tell her, it will take away her hope of finding a family, of being wanted. I can't take that away from her. "

"We can't have her running off looking for parents who don't want anything to do with her. She needs to grow up."

"She's a baby!"

"She's five!" I protest. "She needs to focus on staying in a good foster home so she can get adopted. She won't want to stay with any other parents now that she thinks her real ones are out there waiting for her to find them!" I wait for her to respond but instead she continues to twirl her ring around her finger. "Fine. If you won't tell her then I will." I walk down the hallway towards the room where Emma stays. For a second, I think that Ms. Candice will come after me, to try and stop me but she stays where she is, standing like a statue as she watches me walk away.

I honestly don't want to do this to her. I know it'll break her little heart, but it has to be done. It's for the best. I walk into the room and spot Emma perched up on the top of the bunkbed. She's the only one in there. All the other girls have likely gone to play outside, leaving Emma by herself. She has still yet to make friends with any of the other girls here. Most of them find foster homes to take them in pretty quickly and unlike Emma and I, they generally stay at those homes for a while. So, she hasn't had a chance to make any long-lasting friendships.

"Hi Margie!" she greets me with a small smile.

"Hey, kid." I respond. "Could you come down from there for a minute? There's something I need to tell you." She climbs down and joins me sitting on the lower bunk.

"What's up?" she asks curiously.

"Emma listen to me…Your parents, they didn't want you. That's why you're here. That's why you can't go off and try to find them. They don't want to be found… They don't want you."

"What do you mean?" she asks innocently.

"They left you on the side of the road."

"What? Why would they do that?"

"I don't know, but it doesn't matter why, or who they are. What matters is you finding new parents to adopt you."

"But I don't want new parents! I want my real mommy and daddy!"

"I told you Emma, you're not going to find them and even if you did they wouldn't want you anyways."

"You're wrong! My parents do want me! And one day I'm going to find them and prove it!" She jumps up and storms out of the room. I chase after her. I catch up to her in the hallway and grab her arms. She struggles to get away but I tighten my hold. "Let me go Margie! Let me go!" I bend down to my knees so we are face to face.

"Emma, you need to calm down, okay? I'm telling you this for your own good. You cannot run off to try and find your parents. They don't want you."

"Yes they do! You're lying! They do want me! They do!"

"Why would I lie to you?" She looks at me skeptically for a moment, like she's trying to figure out if I was telling the truth. Her bottom lip is quivering slightly and her eyes are red. Suddenly, she bursts out into tears and I pull her into my arms. She lays her head against my shoulder and I gently stroke her soft, blonde curls. "Why don't they want me? Why doesn't anyone want me?" she whimpers.

"I don't know. But it doesn't matter. Someone will want you, one day. "

"Promise?" she asks quietly, her voice shaky from crying.

"Promise."

* * *

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